[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6060608,"mediaKeyId","3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d","parentId",3289193,"title","Parent urges West Valley to retain DLC special‑education teachers, says stability helps students","audioSeconds",30,"startMs",4306000,"endMs",4336000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d&start=4306&end=4336","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d/thumbnail_4306000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060608/Washington/Parent-urges-West-Valley-to-retain-DLC-specialeducation-teachers-says-stability-helps-students","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060608-5330377e20e87b13e185789584880b08/orig.mp4?Expires=1775118094&Signature=ksuWR25KPJmFD8lNvGK62cqZ391UcBV8ZGr8hFBJF~dw5pav0djGUoAr7dlKVyNvdtSUGo8AOPA5VjmjpBtFv3ZzFwLQhF7d-3zLVcpJAk~Kd8NvsR7A7V4t~Y0fHqZFUvbCb1Wi4BA7QlzWwBZFSgoeM~KOY~ab4H~pjP4SUF7NMZ-PWV6LQCYB9eu6o8D~a7Ir7q8P~WN5wspxhQgaWcjo3AU3lELzN~k613gqWUcT-Z7UrBCsHJLbJEmh3r~-5~Ct9~NWGDwclYTtWg4ByniBt7WV0~myGQXknQnGr2ErV0N34qb-S~ndd-wWxM-JDuilcAc0P1~DFqbpiITgow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Valley School District (Yakima), WA","date","2025-05-06T17:05:05Z","article","Pamela Tilley, a West Valley parent of three children with disabilities, asked the board May 13 to keep the district’s DLC teachers in place next year, arguing that continuity of staff is critical to students’ learning and safety.

Tilley told the board she appreciates DLC teachers and the routines they maintain for students with disabilities and said she had not heard complaints about current staff. “Keep our current DLC teachers for next year,” Tilley said. “Disability children do better with the same routine and seeing the same adult, and they feel safe in knowing what is expected of them.”

Tilley asked why the district was planning staffing changes and said she would welcome a response. The chair said the board would listen and that Superintendent Dr. Finch would prepare a response at a subsequent meeting. No formal action was taken during public comment; the superintendent’s report and personnel items are handled through district administrative processes and follow‑up is expected.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WVSD #208 School Board Meeting 05-13-2025","oneSentenceSummary","A parent whose children attend West Valley asked the board to keep current DLC teachers, saying students with disabilities benefit from consistent routines and familiar staff; the superintendent was invited to respond at a later session.","taxTitle","West Valley School District (Yakima), School Districts, Washington","taxId",72933,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6060615,"Parents and world‑language teachers urge West Valley to maintain two language options after German role reduction",557,3719000,4276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d&start=3719&end=4276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d/thumbnail_3719000.jpg","/articles/6060615/Washington/Parents-and-worldlanguage-teachers-urge-West-Valley-to-maintain-two-language-options-after-German-role-reduction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060615-e58120ab379725f90f456d06f3a918f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775118094&Signature=TstJB-zxvBUgU2nQwuGzynfXCclV3BwTUWQv3pwHEXrjWR2XP9YvHlzxAEbs7nWKmgIzKSl4AzWUkhNPoBa2YDfFTyFlenaNSfzyFaqSQQQqbtf-3~XighC8ODsi1AGqkGNYORFdyDL6QR7Ni9snLyPHfcU56tWPZYtTw9ODmgyImKFEBG4OFSjxgfRCLxDIvtf7DWTcI8MPkd6izKvFZfFARfZrZEhZl4za8smd0vqlpVh0IaC3k6A4yEVcLaaPOBGm8rZDCJFydK-CzQKvCvrPDrVFLB3zgyupVZNJSbHbid7KMwK07jATRwGLzxnv6cOlOg5HbYy9b4K3iDk4UA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple West Valley world‑language teachers and a parent asked the board May 13 to retain two secondary world‑language offerings so students have a choice when they register for grade 8 and to reverse a recent staffing reduction affecting German instruction.

Jennifer Nelson, a West Valley High School Spanish teacher and parent, told the board she supports maintaining “1 FTE position for a world language other than Spanish for grades 8 through 12.” Nelson cited the state graduation framework requiring two years of world language and said reducing local options would limit student choice. “Without district support, West Valley would become the only school district of comparable size in our region and even across the state to offer just 1 language,” she said.

Molly Forteil, a Spanish teacher who recently returned from teaching in Madrid, presented comparative data she said the department compiled showing that similar‑sized districts typically offer multiple language choices, and she urged the district to remain competitive and provide families with options.

Janie Larson, a Spanish teacher and parent, expressed particular concern about the German program. Larson said enrollment in German declined for multiple reasons over the past 15 months and that the district had reduced the German position to a 0.6‑FTE posting. “Now that the German position has been posted and reduced to a 0.6 part time position … the likelihood of us finding a qualified, vibrant personality to draw students in and rebuild the program has dropped dramatically,” Larson said.

Speakers linked the availability of multiple language offerings to college and career readiness and to the state graduation framework for the Class of 2019, which made two years of world language a formal part of the 24‑credit requirement. No board action on world‑language staffing was taken during the public comment period; speakers said they were asking the board to preserve staffing and provide student choice.

Board members acknowledged the comments; the superintendent’s written report and personnel items appear elsewhere on the district’s published records for follow up.","At public comment, multiple West Valley teachers and parents urged the board to preserve two secondary world‑language options, citing a state two‑year language graduation requirement, regional comparators and concern that the German position was reduced to 0.6 FTE and posted.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6060619,"West Valley outlines Innovation Center expansion, daily math and work-based learning plans",1706,1307000,3013000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d&start=1307&end=3013","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289193-2a1eb6f7ea0d806067282a7265dab96d/thumbnail_1307000.jpg","/articles/6060619/Washington/West-Valley-outlines-Innovation-Center-expansion-daily-math-and-work-based-learning-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060619-791f3e1a8c16a84c25241fbaba8d0e4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775118094&Signature=PS544G2ufgi58DksWOuGhSiTJmcPpgXwCiMsaszVl-Lo3qOs6pxTxIjvXcD4IVEsilHKk0tPT5Bl4bTCf8iqcigZ0MGER2P7TGaYdRIc6KP33biMrPkx7~~jcJQifX~giiwxT4QaYq4fh7zPWgkadwQ9fjXuPUFeA39smSMP7Mjars5IOVARDgWl-cVmCOsXMWroH1PokMp-u24~qHAtlP3SHCQAO7oBxaaf7Js~0MmrGyMlKRjugx-jGGl3HuTZ~qerejSpW01-QUjxZSxYoXqEopsH0LC88wCBPL8~DHKs3IaYELCvJWHmELVwbGcZye2h~jWLDXZeccj1GoGOYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Valley School District officials and Innovation Center staff detailed changes to the Center’s programs and schedule for the 2025–26 school year at the board meeting May 13, saying the shifts aim to increase daily math instruction, expand robotics and aerospace offerings and grow work‑based learning and apprenticeship opportunities.

Jed Waters, the district’s executive director for innovation, told the board the Center currently offers four programs for grades 7–9 — computer science, health science, robotics and agriscience (STEM) — and that next year the district will separate robotics and aerospace so students can choose the pathway that matches their interest. “Robotics now is, like, our number 1 seller for programs. It's all full for next year,” Waters said.

The move accompanies scheduling changes meant to give students more consistent math instruction. Waters said the district will restructure the day so math is embedded and offered daily for grades 7–9, with project‑based connections between math, computer science and technical pathways. “We want to work in math every day,” he said.

Kendra Born, the Innovation Center’s math‑science designer, described how teachers are integrating grade‑level math standards with hands‑on projects. She said students use mathematics to plan and code Sphero robots and to calculate distances and angles for design projects: “They were able to code it for an entire map before they ever even saw them,” Born said, describing the Sphero units and related maze projects used to teach geometry and rate/distance problems.

Sierra Clark, the computer science designer for grades 7–9, and Born said project work is also used to teach ELA and technical writing; students wrote step‑by‑step guides tied to the math used for coding projects and produced technical documentation aligned to workplace expectations.

Waters said the Innovation Center has received state grants to buy equipment including a CubCrafters kit and a robot, and that students will assemble an aircraft as part of an aerospace program. “That was received through a state grant so the district didn't pay for those items,” he said.

Staff described expanding pathways to work‑based learning. Waters and staff said Innovation Center students participated in field trips to local manufacturers and orchards, and that some seniors are placed in paid on‑the‑job training that yields high school and college credit. “We do have students participating in sports... and we have a number of students here participating in apprenticeships or looking at apprenticeships next year,” Waters said.

Waters gave enrollment and capacity figures for the Center, saying the building’s capacity is “about 220” and that enrollment was roughly 176–178 at the time of the meeting; he said the grades 7–9 program was nearly full and there were more openings in grades 10–12. The district plans to keep the innovation schedule flexible to allow students to take some courses at the high school while preserving multi‑period blocks at the Innovation Center for mastery‑based projects.

Board members and staff also discussed the Center’s emphasis on mastery‑based learning and project‑based instruction. Waters noted the district’s participation in a mastery‑based learning consortium and said the Innovation Center has received school visits from districts across the state and beyond. He said the Center had posted strong outcomes in student engagement, hands‑on skill building, and employer partnerships, and that graduation plans included about 25 students choosing to graduate at the Innovation Center and others attending the district’s Sundome ceremony.

No formal board action was taken on program changes at the meeting; Waters and staff presented the program and answered board questions.

The district recommended tours of the Innovation Center for board members and community members interested in the new schedule and project examples.","District officials and Innovation Center staff reviewed program changes for 2025–26, including separating aerospace and robotics tracks, increasing daily math integration, use of state grants for equipment and growing work‑based learning and apprenticeship pathways.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parent urges West Valley to retain DLC special‑education teachers, says stability helps students

Parents and world‑language teachers urge West Valley to maintain two language options after German role reduction

West Valley outlines Innovation Center expansion, daily math and work-based learning plans